Kumar Balasingam: Singapore’s Alfa Romeo collector

THE BUSINESS MIND BEHIND THE COLLECTION

While cars are his passion, aviation is his business. Kumar is the CEO of JSD Group, which he founded in 1996. The company specialises in aircraft engine leasing and aircraft seating, serving markets including Indonesia and India. Before starting the business, he trained as an accountant at Ernst & Young and qualified through the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

The analytical discipline of accounting may seem far removed from Italian sports cars, but both require patience, attention to detail and long-term thinking. A collection of 45 cars does not come together on impulse alone. It demands careful planning, from storage and logistics to insurance and regulatory compliance.

It also requires knowing when to let a car go – and when to hold on to one.

Despite the size of his collection, Kumar insists he is not in the business of flipping cars. Some, such as the Montreal and the rediscovered GTV, are permanent fixtures. Others may eventually be sold, but not without careful consideration. “These cars have stories,” he said. “I’ll never sell them.”

BUILDING A COMMUNITY